When Endpoint Meets Endpoint: A Corpus-based Lexical Semantic Study of Mandarin Verbs of Throwing

Abstract

Since verbal semantics began to receive much attention in linguistics research, many interesting findings have been presented regarding the semantic structure or meaning contrasts in the lexicon of Chinese [cf. Tsai, Huang & Chen, 1996; Tsai et al, 1997; Liu, 1999, etc]. Adopting a corpus-based approach, this paper aims to further study and fine-tune Mandarin verbal semantics by exploring the lexical information specific to verbs of throwing, with four pivotal near-synonomous members: TOU(投), ZHI(擲), DIU(丟), RENG (扔). To account for their semantic differences, two kinds of 'endpoints' are distinguished: the Path-endpoint (i.e., the Goal role) vs. the Event-endpoint (i.e., the resultative state). These two variables are crucial for cross-categorizing the four verbs. Although the verbs all describe a directed motion with a Path in their event structure, they differ in their lexical specifications on participant roles and aspectual composition. TOU and ZHI have a specified Path-endpoint while DIU and RENG do not specify a Path-endpoint. Moreover, TOU and ZHI can be further contrasted in terms of the spatial character of the Path-endpoint they take: TOU selects a spatially bounded Path-endpoint while that of ZHI is unspecified in this regard, as manifested by the fact that TOU collocates most frequently with a CONTAINER-introducing locative. On the other hand, DIU and RENG can be further differentiated in terms of event composition: only DIU, not RENG, allows an aspectual focus on the endpoint of the event contour (the Event-endpoint) since it manifests a resultative use. The observed distinctions are then incorporated into a representational paradigm called the Module-Attribute Representation of Verbal Semantics (MARVS), proposed in Huang & Ahrens [1999]. Finally, conclusions are drawn as to the most effective approach to lexical semantic study of Mandarin as well as theoretical implications in general.